In recent years, increased attention has been given to the ideas of growth mindsets, brain science, and mathematical mindsets thanks to the important contributions by Dweck (2008), Boaler (2015), and their research teams. Many math teachers invest the time and energy into thinking about what motivates students to learn. The body of work on…

During the author's eighteen-year tenure as a high school mathematics teacher, there has been one question that she has yet to answer: "Why don't students do homework?" On the basis of research, many factors may lead to a student leaving homework undone. A student may lack the drive to complete work out of school. Or a student may choose…

This article begins with three brain teasers, and the answers, provided at the end of the article, may prove surprising. Figuring out why they are correct leads the reader to delightful "aha" moments. The kinds of "aha!" moments that result from solving these challenges for yourself were held in high estimation by the person…

In the authors' attempts to incorporate problem solving into their mathematics courses, they have found that student ambition and creativity are often hampered by feelings of risk, as many students are conditioned to value a produced solution over the actual process of building one. Eliminating risk is neither possible nor desired. The challenge,…

John Lamb, a professor of mathematics education and a teacher of high school precalculus, describes how he developed a way to use the elements of the game Angry Birds® as a platform to engage his students with the concepts of parabolas and vectors. The game could be categorized as a type of microworld game in which students interact with the…

Teams, pit stops, clues, time limits, fast forwards, challenges, and prizes are all components of the CBS hit show "The Amazing Race." They were also elements of the Amazing Mathematical Race sponsored by the Math and Stats Club at Northern Kentucky University in April 2009. Held in recognition of Math Awareness Month, which is advocated…

The use of data is critical to the teaching of probability and statistics. At the very least, data should be provided within a meaningful context rather than presented as a generic, meaningless collection of numbers. Students often respond better, however, when working with data that they have gathered themselves. Having students collect data is a…

In this article, mathematics teachers in the United States were asked what constitutes a high-quality mathematics lesson. The returned responses varied greatly. This same question was asked of Japanese teachers also. For a clearer picture both American and Japanese teachers were directed to comment on videotaped mathematics lessons taught in both…

As a college mathematics teacher for six years, the author has learned his share of pedagogical techniques through research, practice, and reflection. He adopts new theories into classroom practice, differentiates instruction when necessary, and remains open to the diversity his students bring with respect to academic readiness, cultural norms,…

Today's classrooms are much different from those of yesterday. The increased diversity of learners, students' familiarity and attraction to technology, and the improved availability of technology in education have made it increasingly possible for teachers to use various forms of technology in instruction. The responsibility for addressing these…

In this article we propose building sets of problems rooted in the same concept, a process that allows students to develop understanding and take on increasingly complex problems. By beginning with "foundation stories" and using strategies similar to those for literary constructs, we have dramatically increased our students' mathematical…

A project that mixes algebra with data collection, uses technology, extends into data analysis, and cooks marshmallows can excite both teachers and students. This article describes a project that intends to pique students' interest in higher mathematics, incorporate their knowledge of parabolas, and offer a meaningful mathematics experience. Using…

This article discusses how teachers can organize and use mathemagic tricks in their curriculum and classroom to enhance conceptual understanding. Four mathemagic tricks are presented and analyzed. (Contains 3 figures and 5 online resources.)

This article presents the basic ideas of statistical trend charts and their utility as a pedagogical tool for sparking statistical thinking. (Contains 7 tables and 11 figures.)

A WebQuest is an inquiry-based lesson plan that uses the Internet. This article explains what a WebQuest is, shows how to create one, and provides an example. When engaged in a WebQuest, students use technology to experience cooperative learning and discovery learning while honing their research, writing, and presentation skills. It has been found…